Anything but Fine
by BoredUnicorn
Summary: Marceline is in a village during the Mushroom Wars. Her mentor, a young Simon Petrickov, sends her off to find her father.
1. Chapter 1

**Alright, here's some info about the following story****  
****This is a collaboration between BoredUnicorn and White-wolf-Purple-eyes****  
****This is a completely shared story but will be under BoredUnicorn because she's cool****  
****Very short, but it is just kinda an introduction******

**Enjoy!****  
**  
She didn't know where she was heading, she just had to go somewhere. The little girl was alone. She was left out in the dust and rubble with no one to care for her, and no one around. She would walk daily through the remnants of the city, searching for anyone or anything. But was always unsuccessful. Or, at least, she couldn't find anyone. A man found her. He was tall, fair skinned, had lots of long hair, and was wearing a suit with a crown hanging off his belt. The man was Simon Petrikov. He was traveling all over what was left of the world in search of his lost wife, Betty, and nothing could have stopped him. Until he saw a Gray little girl crying in the middle of the street, he had to do something. He didn't even consider keeping his distance from the possibly mutated child as he rushed into a trashed toy store and grabbed the child a little red bear with abnormally long limbs. Without saying a word, he gave the child the bear, and her crying stopped. She hugged him. She found a friend.  
Simon was looking for his wife, true, but he couldn't just leave the girl, she was all alone! So he picked her up, put her on his back, and set off for Betty. The child hung on to Simon for dear life, like he would leave any second, but he couldn't blame her. "So, what's your name?" He eventually asked. The child stiffened a bit at the sound of Simon's voice. "I don't have one." She answered. Simon stopped, put the child down, and got down on his knees so he could look her in her gray eyes. The child instantly latched back on to Simon. "Well that's silly, everyone has a name." He said with a smile as he pulled her off of himself. "My name is Simon, who are you?" He asked kindly. The little girl thought for a minute, but nodded "no" as though she couldn't have a name. "Well, let's give you a name." Simon said. The girl perked up a bit. "Let's see... You look like you could be a Melisa, Mandy, Marceline-" "That one!" The child exclaimed excitedly. And so the lonely gray little girl was dubbed Marceline. Simon smiled, and she smiled back. His smile was warm, and had a wizened look to it, and Marceline's was young and full of innocence. For them both, it was a refreshing change of pace from stumbling around the apocalypse. Simon put the child back on his back, and set off again.  
He didn't know where he was going, and Marceline didn't either, but at least they found someone. At least they found each other.

**There you go****  
****Introduction to the future best fanfic ever written******

**Hopefully******

**Maybe******

**Follow******

**Favorite****  
****Make sure to review and tell us what you think!****  
****This chapter was written by White-wolf-Purple-eyes****  
**Check out "The 3 lives of Finn the Human"  
If I'm not doing this, I'll be writing that


	2. Chapter 2

**I, BoredUniorn, wrote this one. **

**Remember, we're going with the whole "Teamwork" thing so I'm writing some, then White-Wolf-Purple-Eyes is writing others. **

A couple of days later Marceline and Simon were in a cave on the other side of the ruined village where they had met.

"Simon?" Marceline said.

"Yes, Marceline?" Simon said. He was trying to start a fire for her.

"What is hat thing you carry around on your belt?" She asked.

"This? Well, it's a crown. You… You can never touch it. It can do some bad things and I don't want…" He stopped talking.

Marceline hugged her bear.

The next night Marceline woke up from a nightmare about those evil mushrooms that killed so many people. She looked around the cave but didn't see Simon, so she went outside.

Simon Petrikov was sitting on a rock with the crown on his head, he was an icy blue color and was talking to himself.

"I simply must find a princess suitable to marry." He said "I haven't seen any since before that little creature showed up, and she's not my type, too young. Maybe if I restructure her tissue I can make her older, Like a real princess."

"Simon?" Marceline asked.

Simon fell off his rock, the crown fell off his head. "Are you alright Marceline?" He asked.

"I… I had a bad dream. What were you talking about me for?" She said.

"I wasn't talking about you." Simon looked confused.

"You called me a creature and started talking about princess, why do you want to reconstruct my tissue? What is reconstructing my tissue?" Marceline looked hopefully into the eyes of Simon. Simon just stared at her with a look of horror.

"Never believe anything I say when I have that hat on, never." He picked the crown up off

"Why do you wear it?"

"I have to."

"But why?"

"I just do Marceline! I can't help it!" He yelled. Marceline got really quiet. She was scared.

Marceline looked up at him and walked back into the cave. She made sure Hambo (the name she had given the red teddy bear) was "asleep" then laid down next to it and fell asleep.

**Hope you liked it.**


	3. Chapter 3

** Hey****White-wolf-Purple whatevers here****  
**** Guess what?****  
**** I got you a new chapter!****  
**** No returns****Enjoy!  
****  
**  
Marceline woke on the back of Simon. That was normal though. Simon always woke up really early, picked up Marceline, then started walking to wherever it is they were going. Where are we going anyway? Thought Marceline. "Hey, Simon?" She asked. "Yes dear?" Simon answered. "Where are we going?" Marceline asked sweetly. Simon stopped for a second, Marceline hopped down from his back. Simon looked around just stood there, looked around, then took a deep breath. "Well... I'm looking for my wife, Betty." He explained to the small child. Marceline just looked blankly up at him. "Then why am I here?" She asked. "Well, you're the only person I've seen in weeks, also you're just a child, so I couldn't leave you there." Simon answered with a smile. Marceline gave him a big toothy grin that can only be pulled off by small children. Simon took Marceline's hand and they continued walking.  
That night, Simon found a real reason for Marceline to be with him. He tried on the crown, as he did every night. The crown actually fought off the radiation that was constantly killing Simon whenever he took the crown off, but sometimes he wondered if it was even worth it. He was losing his sanity and the crown would take over after too long if he wasn't careful, but what was it all for? His wife Betty who was probably blown away by the initial blasts from the bombs? Marceline? Simon didn't really know. All these thoughts clouded his mind as he sat down by the fire to perform his nightly ritual. Across the flames was Marceline. A gray little girl with black hair clutching a red teddy bear, snuggled up and a big blanket Simon had found. He smiled, then put on the crown. As usual, it spoke to him, tried to seduce him into keeping it on longer, but there was another voice this time. Simon tried to focus on it. "Hello, Simon. It appears that you have something of mine..."  
Marceline woke up in Simon's arms this morning. He was running through the streets of the wrecked city, and breathing heavily. Marceline just hung on to Hambo for a while, but Simon eventually noticed she was awake and set her down while he caught his breath. "So, how's the morning run going?" Said Marceline with a giggle. Simon was practically forcing air in and out of his lungs, he put up a finger as a sign for Marceline to give him a minute. She just sat down and played with Hambo while Simon heaved in and out. He stood up straight, stretched for a second, then sat next to Marceline. "So, did you figure out where Betty is?" Asked Marceline as she played with her bear. Simon thought of telling her where they were truly going, but he couldn't figure out how to tell her without freaking her out. "Um... Yes. We're going to meet her right now... Come, we're in a hurry." Marceline climbed up onto Simon's bag, which he put on his back, and they were off.  
Simon was getting worried. The closer they got to the center of the city, the less rubble there was. You would think that is a good thing, but not in a world that just had chunks blown out of it and billions of people vaporized. No, missing buildings were definitely bad news bears. Simon started feeling weak, this only happens after too much radiation. What was I thinking? I cant survive the center of a nuked city! Or at least... not without the... Simon felt his side for the crown that hung off his belt. I can't, Marceline will see! But suddenly Simon started coughing. Blood came up. Fine. He unbuckled the crown from his side, and plopped it on his head. He began walking faster and felt a little more lively. Everything started getting intense though. Simon's vision began turning red, and he was seeing shapes out of the corners of his eyes. He didn't like the shapes. Simon started moving even faster, but the shapes followed. They... They're after me! Simon started running. Marceline clung to his backpack for dear life. "Simon! Simon slow down!" She yelled. He looked over his shoulder. Stay away gray shape! Simon suddenly dropped his backpack and ran off. "Stay away!" He yelled back. "Simon! Simon!" Marceline yelled as the crazed man ran from her. "Simon! Please..." Marceline said with a sniffle, she was tearing up. But she looked down at the red bear in her arms, and her tears never broke through. She grabbed Simon's pack and began walking in the direction he had been going in before he started running. "Don't worry Hambo, we'll find Betty. Then Simon will come back." She said cheerily to her bear.

** Just a little crazy for yah****  
**** Future chapters coming soon****Review****Follow****Favorite****Check out my other story "The 3 lives of Finn the Human"****  
**** Once again, this chapter was written by White-wolf-Purple-eyes**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey, It's me again, BoredUnicorn, here's my chapter!**

She was alone. She was afraid. She was hungry.

"Simon left me, Hambo." Marceline said. She had been wandering around for hours.

"Betty! Please come here! My name is Marceline. I need you to help me find Simon!" She yelled.

Marceline jumped over a rock. "Hambo, do you think we'll ever find her?" She looked into the face of the bear, hoping to see some sort of reaction from the bear. There was a light reflection in the button eyes. It moved. "Betty?" Marceline turned around.

"Simon?" She said slightly less hopefully.

She took a step forward.

"Who's there?" As she said that a giant dog jumped over some rubble and started running at her.

Marceline screamed and ran. The dog ran after her.

She ran all the way back to the cave she and Simon had stayed in a few nights before. The little girl hid behind a rock. The dog became stopped running at her but it laid down at the opening of the cave.

Marceline laid down against the wall of the cave and cried herself to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Yo**

**Cracker-dog-Blue/red Mixed-pupils here**

**I'm taking a break from my big story and will therefore be able to pour my emotion into this more! Yay!**

**Enjoy**

When she woke up, the dog was gone. Marceline grabbed Hambo and looked around just outside of the cave just in case though. No dog. Marceline breathed a sigh of relief, got her stuff, then was on her way.  
"I have to find Simon soon, Hambo." She said to her stuffed bear.  
Of course the toy didn't, and wouldn't, respond back, but it helped to be able to talk to someone. Marceline climbed down a pile of rubble down into a street congested with ruined cars. Luckily, Marceline was just small enough to comfortably walk between them. In the spaces between the cars she looked and saw nothing but crumbling buildings, stores, and in one case, a hotdog stand that was on fire. It was near silent except for the loud occasional rumble of a building or crackle of flame, so it was very easy to hear the voices from far away. They indistinctly echoed off the falling structures, which only made them more obvious. There were different tones and different sounds, so Marceline could tell there were many. Marceline hurried towards the voices, in case they might be able to help her.  
"Maybe they can help me find Simon or Betty!" Marcy whispered excitedly to her bear.  
She could finally hear the voices somewhat clearly, and their owners were in sight as well.  
"-some real food soon. The guy last night tasted awful." Said a very tall and gaunt looking man in all black.  
He was covered in piercings, metal jewelry, and skull symbols everywhere. Next to him was a short but rail thin girl with black and purple hair, a worn leather jacket, jean shorts, and thigh high boots. Behind them was bull of a man. He looked a thousand feet tall and as wide as a semi truck to Marceline. He had on a helmet with holes cut out for his blue Mohawk, a stained white muscle shirt, baggy cargo pants, and was wielding a stop sign. Seriously, it looked like he had just pulled it straight from the cement. Marceline got the idea that those people weren't going to help her. She hid behind a taxi, but it was too late.  
"Hey! Did you see that? What was that gray thing? Go check it out." The Bull Man ordered the tall skinny one.  
Marceline ran.  
"Hey! Stop!" The skinny man yelled, but Marceline was already sprinting down the road  
"Looks like we found dinner! After it!" The Bull Man pointed the end of the sign in Marceline's direction and he and the girl began pursuing.  
The tall man and the girl climbed on top of the cars on both sides of Marceline and were running her down. At least until a rolled over semi trailer got in their way. Marceline fit between the trailer and the truck and was able to get through, there was an open building to her right. She darted to it.  
"She's going into the building!" The girl said.  
Marceline entered the first floor of what had been a skyscraper. It had cracked black marble floors and walls, a security check point that had been mostly melted, several sets of large metal doors in the back, and a stairwell to the right of them. Marceline tried all the buttons next to the doors, and thankfully one lit up. She heard the groan of the elevator coming down.  
"There! By the elevators!" The Bull Man shouted.  
The metal doors slid open, and Marceline slipped in and hit the button for the top floor. The doors were shutting as the skinny man reached them, he was just able to stick his hand in enough for his fingers to get squished, then the elevator was gone.  
It groaned as it sluggishly tried to get to the top of the building, which would become impossible. The elevator leaned forward and scraped against the the inside of shaft then came to a complete stop. It dinged, the doors opened, and Marceline fell out onto the floor of an office. She looked up and saw that nearly half of the building had broken off and was leaning against the one next to it, the elevator's cables were taught and straining to hold it up since it was still attached to the other half of the building. Marceline got up, dusted herself off, then tried to find a way off of the split skyscraper. But soon heard voices and thundering footsteps coming up the stairway behind her. Marceline ran towards the windows at the other end of the office. Most were shattered, as were the other building's, and a long support beam stretched most of the distance distance between them.  
"Hambo," Marceline looked her bear in the buttons, "I have stupid idea."  
"Boss, you sure sh- There she is!" The girl said as she looked at Marceline standing near the window, Marcy smiled, waved, then went out on the beam.  
It was circular so Marceline laid on her stomach and had to crawl, but thankfully it was very large. The winds were fierce this high up, and Simon's pack definitely wasn't helping to make her more aerodynamic. Then a big gust came. Marceline gripped the beam for dear life as the wind bombarded the pack, she was starting to slip. The wind stopped. Marceline was just able to hold on, but the scariest part wasn't over yet.  
"Come here kid! We wont hurt you! Much..." The Bull Man said with a menacing snicker.  
She reached the end of the beam. She carefully got up onto her knees, then one foot, then both. Marceline was standing on the end of a circular beam a hundreds of feet in the air with people who wish to do her harm on one end, and a large open window on the other. A breeze could have come by at any moment and she would have plummeted to her certain doom, but she couldn't afford to thing of that. The only thing she could afford to do is think of the last few feet between her and the other building.  
"I can't wait any long, get over here!" The girl said as she made her way out onto the beam.  
The Bull Man just laughed. "You'll fall off right with her!"  
Marceline didn't even hear them. She took a step, then leaped forward.

**Cliffhanger**

**Guess now you just have to check back next time…**

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**White-wolf-Purple-eyes out**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi, BoredUnicorn here. Sorry for how long it took.**

Marceline pulled herself up into the window from the ledge. She was panting from terror. She fell onto the floor.

"Hambo, do you think we'll ever find Betty?" She asked the bear. There was the sound of footsteps from the other side of the room. Marceline tensed up. She was scared.

"Did you say you were looking for Betty?" It was a kind woman's voice. Marceline looked up

"Yes, are you Betty?" Marceline looked hopeful.

"Why, yes. And you are?"

"Marceline. I know Simon! He ran away and I thought that if I found you I would be able to get him back."

"How sweet! And Simon is…"

"You are going to marry him." Marceline looked skeptical, but this woman was her only hope.

"Oh, oh, yes. Now we must get going. Those teenagers that were trying to eat you will be showing up soon."

"How do you know about them?"

"I was watching from the window." Betty walked over to the stairwell and started walking down. Marceline followed after her.

They got to a place in the stairwell that they had to drop 2 floors to get down. "You first." Betty said coldly to Marceline.

"B-but, Simon would go down first, a-and then catch me."

"Too bad." Betty said. She pushed Marceline down. Marceline's arm stung where she landed on it.

Betty's feet landed inches away from Marceline's head. Marceline stood up.

Marceline held Hambo in her good arm and kept her hurt arm as close to her as possible.

"Come on, kid." Betty led her into a room to the side of the stairwell. She shut the door behind them.

Marceline turned toward the room. She had the look of terror on her face. The people that were chasing her were in the room. Betty picked Marceline up and ran past them into another room. She locked the door then jumped out the window onto a pile of debris.

"That should keep them occupied for a while." Betty said. She set Marceline down and they kept running away from the building.

Marceline was starting to think this wasn't really Betty. She pictured Betty as someone who would care about her. Somebody who would marry Simon and then they would be a small sort of family. This woman was not that sort of woman. This woman seemed to care only about herself.

"Hurry up, kid!" Marceline had fallen behind. She hadn't had a break since the dog had gone after her, so she was extremely tired. 'Betty' grabbed her hurt arm and pulled hard. Marceline screamed in pain. 'Betty' pulled again. Marceline screamed. Tears rolled down her cheeks. The woman pulled again. Marceline tried to pull free, this woman was kidnapping her.

'Betty' pulled her toward another building. She threw Marceline down next to the door. "Stay." She said.

The woman built a fire. "You will be a tasty little dinner, wont you?"

Marceline was terrified. "You-you're going to eat me?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey****  
****Taking a hiatus from my hiatus just for all you wonderful people!****  
****In return could you review?******

**Please?******

**Don't make me do the puppy eyes thing****  
****Wolfy don't play that******

**Enjoy****  
**

"I wonder... would you taste better smoked or sauteed?" 'Betty' asked rhetorically with a sinister laugh as she approached the now cowering Marceline with a knife.  
Marceline ran to the corner of the room and hugged Hambo for dear life.  
"How sweet, it almost makes me want to... garnish you with the bear." 'Betty' broke out with another stereotypical evil-doer laugh.  
But Marceline didn't have time for stereotypes or puns, so she closed her eyes and waited for her doom to come. She hugged Hambo tighter and hoped it wouldn't hurt too bad. Marceline heard a large crash and screamed out, wondering what kind of sick game this fake 'Betty' would be doing. But the knife never came.  
Marceline slowly opened her eyes to see the whole front of the room covered in ice, and the metal door that inclosed it was sticking out of the wall inches from her head. But the centerpiece would have to be Simon, standing over what Marceline presumed to be 'Betty'. Simon had the crown in one hand and the other was resting on the large tomb of ice that now encased Marceline's would-be eater.  
"S-Simon?" Marceline asked his name, as if there were a chance it wasn't him.  
The blue-skinned, long-bearded man turned around to see Marceline quivering in the corner. He ran over and embraced her.  
"Marceline! Oh thank god I found you." Simon picked the now smiling Marceline up and swung her in his arms. "Marcy, I am so sorry for abandoning you. I never meant to. The crown it-"  
"I forgive you." Marceline said with a toothy grin.  
Simon was stunned at first, but hugged her even more.  
"So, where to now Simon?" Marcy asked when Simon put her on his back.  
"This side of the city is full of these cannibals, mutants, all kinds of things that would do us quite a bit of harm. However, when I finally... came to, I saw a bridge to the other half of the city. If we can cross it, we should be safer over there." Simon explained as they set out on the ruinous streets of the city.  
Marceline just hung on to Simon, never wanting to let go.  
By night they had reached the bridge, and saw the other half of the city just across the large, heavily polluted river. Marceline could only tell that it was a suspension bridge since it was silhouetted against the low fires and flickering lights of the surviving buildings across the river. Simon made a fire as Marcy sat and played with Hambo, lightly humming.  
"Simon?" She asked without looking up from her bear.  
"Yes dear?" Simon inquired back.  
"Please don't leave again." Marceline was now watching for Simon's reaction.  
He put down the firewood and lighter, walked over and sat next to Marceline, and just held her in his arms without a word. He soon returned back to the pile of wood and set it ablaze.  
The next morning, Marceline awoke to see nothing but dirty river and various pieces of debris from the bridge below her. She looked around and saw she was slung over Simon's shoulder as he clung to a rail and was making his way across the large gap missing from the bridge to the partially collapsed other side. She was paralyzed with fear and shut her eyes quicker than bear traps.  
"It's okay Marcy, I have us." Simon must have noticed her tensing up.  
She began to open her eyes slowly, and noticed how beautiful the morning was. The low sun's light was reflecting off the river and glinting off the little glass that some buildings still had. She just focused on that as Simon shakily traversed the gap.  
"Marceline, you may want to close your eyes for this." Simon yelled to her.  
Marcy saw that there was a five foot break between the rail and the rest of the bridge. She held on to Hambo as Simon began rocking back and forth to get momentum for his jump.  
"Simon, I don't know how to swim." Marceline hesitantly stated.  
"Why does that matter?" Simon asked.  
"That's a very big jump." Marceline inferred their impending drowning.  
"Indeed it it." Simon said, then leaped.  
His pack snagged on the broken rail and a strap snapped. Simon was able to grab on to the top of the slightly broken slab that was angling down toward the river and Marceline clutched at the pack as it began slipping of his back.  
"Simon!" She screamed as the pack slipped off his other shoulder.  
Simon was able to grasp the unbroken strap as Marceline dangled from the other end of his pack.  
"I wont let go!" He yelled down to her.  
"Help!" Marcy screamed.  
Simon tried to lift his pack with one hand, but his other began to slip.  
"Marceline! I need you to climb up the pack!" Simon instructed the gray little girl.  
She nodded and began clawing her way up as Simon's grip slowly diminished.  
"Dear, if you could hurry up just a bit..." He asked.  
Marceline was up to the top of the pack when Simon's fingers were halfway off the slab.  
"Good. Now, see if you can make your way up onto the road and I'll meet you there." He ordered.  
Marceline scrambled onto Simon's shoulders and inched up to the unbroken gutter above. Simon began to slip his pack back on. Marceline gave her feeble attempts to help as Simon pulled himself onto the level part of the bridge. Simon swung his leg over top, rolled onto his back, and laid on the pavement, reflecting on the events that had just transpired.  
Marceline went over to the edge of the bridge, sat down, and kicked her feet in the air as Simon caught his breath.  
"I-" Simon breathed, "Am never doing that again."  
Marceline giggled.  
The rest of the trip across the bridge went by with little excitement, except for when Marceline set off a car alarm and nearly gave Simon a heart attack. They made a camp inside a small delivery truck a block away from the bridge and Marceline fell asleep near instantly.  
Simon watched as she snuggled against her bear near the fire. The orange flames gave her the appearance of a natural human skin tone, with light reds reflecting off her crow-black hair. Simon sighed, the pulled the crown off his belt-loop. There seemed to be an aura of blue surrounding it, a resonance of life.  
"Another day gone." Simon said, and placed it on his head.

**So******

**That happened****  
****Review and lemme know what you though of the bridge scene****  
****Or Simon's sudden reappearance******

**Follow******

**Favorite****  
****Big news White-wolf fans:****  
****I'll be starting some of my other stuff up again soon****  
*****cough* 3 lives *cough*****  
****Alright, I'll be passing out now**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi, BoredUnicorn here.**

**Just thought I'd get you into the Christmas spirit and stuff. **

**I'm sure you'll like it if the spirit of Christmas lives within you.**

**Enjoy.**

Simon and Marceline had been camping out in half a house for a week now. Simon realized on December 24th that he should give the child a Christmas. Seeing as there had been war so long that she might not have ever had one, he wanted this to be really special.

The next day Simon woke up early and found some things to eat: coffee grounds, stale bread, and then he fished for a while and caught three small fish.

He broke into the other half of the house they were camping in and decided to forage through everything.

Around seven in the morning he came into the room where he and Marceline stayed. Lots of stuff in his arms. She was still sleeping.

He got to work. He lit the fire. Set out candles. Put up some garland made of spoons and fishing wire. Put out some Christmas lights, even though there was no electricity. Then he put all the food he had found on the table in the middle of the room. He now had a cake. It wasn't great because Betty always was the one to make cakes. But he made it in the kitchen with only the things he could find. And was proud of it.

He couldn't find a tree. He couldn't find stockings or socks. He couldn't find a box to wrap Marceline's present in. He couldn't find ribbon for a bow. But he knew Marceline would have a lot of fun.

"Marcy." He said softly to the small figure curled up in the rocking chair. "Wake up."

"Hi, Simon." She said through a yawn.

"Merry Christmas!"

"Mary what?" She rubbed her eyes.

"Merry Christmas! Marceline, It's Christmas. "

"What's that?"

Simon's heart sank. She didn't even know what Christmas was. Simon picked her up and sat down in the rocking chair. She sat down on his lap and sat Hambo down next to her.

Simon told her a story about a baby that grew up and died then decided not to be dead and then moved to the North Pole in his old age and gave all the children in the world presents with his elves and reindeer with shiny noses to help him.

By the end of the story Marceline was extremely happy and excited. Simon wasn't sure if he got two stories mixed up or not. He hadn't had his crown on in quite a few hours but he was still influenced by it.

"What do people do on Christmas, Simon?" Marceline said excitedly.

"They sing songs, and tell stories, and give each other gifts, and eat food with their families."

"Can we do that? We're like a family."

"Yes, I planned on it."

Marceline grinned and hugged Simon. He hugged her back.

"So what's first? Sing songs?" He asked her.

"I don't know. What's that?" She looked up at him.

Simon's mouth gaped open. She didn't know what music was. She didn't know what singing was.

Instead of just telling her what it was he started to sing to her. "You know dasher and dancer and prancer and vixen…"

He sang her the whole song. Marceline really enjoyed it and tried to catch on. She got a few words right, but the rest she just guessed on. They were dancing around the very warm room. When they stopped singing Marceline walked over to the table.

"Simon, what's this?" She pointed at Simon's cake.

"It's supposed to be cake. I didn't do a very good job. But it seems to be edible. Would you like some?"

"Yes, please."

Simon pulled a spoon off the garland he had made and handed it to her. Then he got one off for himself.

"This is really good." She said through a mouthful of cake. Simon tasted it. It was slightly sour. But it wasn't bad. He had had to cook it over the fire. So he hadn't expected it to be cooked correctly. But it was.

"Mary Chrissmas" Marceline said to Simon.

"Merry Christmas." He said. "Oh, I have a present for you!" He walked over to the fireplace and picked up something next to it.

"It's a guitar. It makes music. I have a feeling you'll catch on quick." Simon had found it in the other side of the house. He didn't know how she would react. But there wasn't much of a choice for her present. Almost everything decent was destroyed.

"I don't have a present for you. I'll be right back." She ran off. Out the door. Around the house. She started looking. She tried to find something he would like. She had to. She picked up a ziptie. Then a wrapper for something. Then she saw it. A Polaroid camera. She picked it up and ran back to the house.

"Ok, Simon. I got it."

"You really didn't have to. I'm happy just to spend Christmas with you."

"Stand there." Marceline turned the camera around and snapped a picture. The picture came rolling out. She set it on the table. "It needs to fix itself. As soon as it's done I'll give it to you." She threw the camera out the door.

Then she picked up the acoustic guitar. "Can we sing more songs, Simon?"

Simon wasn't listening. He had picked up the picture of him and Marceline. She didn't realize how much this meant to him. He saw himself in the background. He didn't look like himself. He grabbed a pen that he brought from the other side of the house earlier. He turned the picture over and wrote:

Marceline, is it just you and me in the wreckage of the world? That must be so confusing for a little girl. And I know you're going to need me here with you. But I'm losing myself, & I'm afraid you're gonna lose me too.

"Simon?" Marceline said again.

Simon came back. "Oh, uh, yes?"

"I asked you if we could sing some more songs."

"Oh, yeah. But first I need to give you another present." He handed her the Polaroid.

"But, this is your present." She looked at him, confused.

"Yes. But I need to give this back to you. I got everything out of it that I can. But you need to keep this forever. Promise me that you'll keep this forever."

"I will."

"Good." He sat down in the rocking chair. "Now let me teach you a song about Santa Clause. "

They started singing "Santa Clause is coming to town" Marceline caught on quickly. After that they sang "White Christmas". Then Simon Hummed her "Carol of The Bells". She figured out how to play it on her guitar while Simon sat in his rocking chair.

Then they ate dinner. Marceline went back to her attempt at "Carol of the Bells". Around nine at night Simon moved from the rocking chair and let Marceline lay down in it. She clutched Hambo while Simon sang to her.

"Silent night, Holy night, All is calm…" He sang softly

**You're welcome. **

**This tear jerking chapter courtesy of BoredUnicorn.**

**Merry Christmas!**


	9. Chapter 9

Hello philistines

surprisingly I'm not dead despite my inactivity!

(yes, this is your darling White-wolf-Purple-eyes)

I've been really lazy with this and just really uninspired lately, but I'm trying to get back into writing

So, in "me" tradition

Enjoy!

_It has been several days since I found Marceline, I don't know what happened in the time we were separate but am glad to have her back where she is safe. I still haven't heard anything else from that other voice since the first time when he told me to bring Marceline to him in return for Betty. I am still unsure about the transaction, but hoping Marcy goes to a good home. She's already been through more than a little girl should._

"Hey, Simon! I found Something!" Shouted the familiar voice of the gray little girl known as Marceline.

"What is it dear?" Simon asked.

"It's this big metal floaty thing on the river! It looks super cool." Marceline explained while running up to Simon.

He got up from the ground where he was writing in his log book and dusted himself off. "Do you mean a boat?" Simon asked.

"What's that?" Marcy asked innocently.

"I'll show you." Simon grabbed Marceline's small hand as she took him to the 'big floaty thing'.

It turned out to be an empty trash barge tied up to a small dock that protruded into the river. It was a very large and very rusty heap of machinery, but looked sturdy enough, so Simon stepped aboard. He looked around and saw a singular captain's box towards the back of the ship and went over to it. There was a Styrofoam cup, a pair of cracked sunglasses, and a key chain with several novelty items hanging off it. One key had a piece of tape labeled "BOAT" on it, so Simon put it in the ignition and turned. The engine grumbled to life.

"Whoa! Did you do that?" Marceline asked excitedly.

"Yes, I do believe I did... I think you found us a way out of this city!" Simon exclaimed.

"So we can get to Betty sooner?!" Marcy asked.

Simon just stood silent, so Marceline took the sign and sat at the front edge of the barge and began playing with Hambo.

Simon took about fifteen minutes to familiarize himself with the barge's controls before taking off from the dock and down the river. At first it was nice, quiet, and peaceful sailing, but soon the water noticeably quickened. In less than an hour, Simon and Marcy were shooting down the river, but still hadn't left the maze of a city. Simon struggled at the controls of the boat, narrowly dodging debris and sunken buildings, hoping for a sandbar to slow the barge down. He soon realized the cause of his mighty vessel's speed. There was a titanic sized whirlpool slightly down river, pulling everything in it's immediate vicinity to be pulled in. Cars, buses, a whole train at one point, all got sucked down to the unknown.

"Simon, what's that?" Asked a plainly worried Marceline.

"Either god turned on the garbage disposal or w whirlpool" Simon stated.

"What?" Marceline wondered, confused by Simon's attempt at a joke.

"Nothing, now I see why my career in comedy never worked out..." Simon said to himself.

The boat was on the edge of the whirlpool, and began spinning.

"Marcy, come here. We may be in trouble." Simon ordered.

Marceline joined Simon in the captain's box and clutched his pants as the spinning got faster.

"Simon-"

"Shh... It's okay dear, It's okay." Simon patted Marcy's head and grabbed the crown from his belt.

"Simon!" Marceline was afraid he would go crazy again if he put the crown back on.

"It's fine, just take he crown off when we're safe." Simon assured her.

Simon placed the crown on his head and it began to snow. Marcy climbed on his back as Simon walked to the edge of the barge facing the eastern side of the city, away from the whirlpool. Simon closed his eyes, clenched his fists, and soon he and Marcy were being lifted away from the barge by a large block of ice formed from the water surrounding them. Simon safe transported them to the edge of the river with little incident (at one point Simon burped and the ice block dropped a few feet). Simon collapsed the second her touched ground, Marceline climbed off his pack.

"No more boats?" She asked simply.

"No more boats" Replied Simon through heavy breaths.

And they watched as Marceline great discovery went 'round and 'round before finally disappearing beneath the watery depths. Like a great rust crap going down a god-sized toilet.

Marceline giggled at the thought.

**There you go**

**Me getting sort-of back into the swing of things**

**I'll be doing another "Love is Death and Burns" chapter soon**

"**3 lives" is on hold**

**I'm re-writing my story "Nights By the Tree"**

**and may finally get around to "Hunson's true evils"**

**maybe**

**goodnight!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hai.**

**It's me, BoredUnicorn, again.**

**Sorry everything's been taking a while to upload.**

**Here's the next chapter**

"Marceline, stay by me. It's getting dark." Simon called behind him.

Marcy ran and caught up with Simon, who took her hand and led her along the first paved road they had seen since the last nuke had been dropped. The damaged and cracked highway started to slowly spiral up to an overpass. Only occasionally were cars found on the road, one teetering on the edge over the river at one point, and the rest of the way was littered with debris, chunks of cement, rebar, and other such materials. The decrepit highway seemed to stretch on into the horizon and Simon was almost positive that it would take them most of the way to their destination, wherever it was. He would know the next time he got directions.

Marcy and Simon were both silent. Something about the twilight made them contemplate all that had happened so far. The night air was clearer than usual, the wind was slightly chilly with a very welcome breeze. Everything seemed surprisingly calm.

Marceline looked out over the destroyed city. The buildings closer to them were only partially destroyed. On some of them the roofs were caved in, and there were walls blown out but it wasn't as bad as the parts of the city they had recently been in. She saw the silhouettes of menacing towers against the setting sun. The skyscrapers looked like rotted teeth jutting into the sky: black, broken, empty, all ruined. There wasn't a single place in the skyline that didn't look affected by the bombs.

Simon kept his eyes down. He was looking at the lines in the pavement, but he didn't really see them. He was thinking very deeply about something that had been bothering him for quite some time. _I wish it didn't have to be this way. Marceline is just so small and helpless, I want to protect her. She can't do this on her own, she's counting on me to be there for her, and I have to. She doesn't even know that I'm trading her for my Betty._

Simon looked at Marceline._ She doesn't deserve to be treated like this. She's too innocent. But it has to be this way. Betty needs me just as much as Marceline does. Who knows what__he____could be doing to her. She has to be ok. I need her back. I love my Betty more than anything in this world! My princess needs me and the only way to get her is doing something terrible. But I have to. I have to trade Marceline for Betty or I'll never see my princess again._

A tear fell from Simon's eye.

_I wish I could tell Marceline everything. Who she's going to, why, how terrible I am for doing it. But I can't. She wouldn't understand though. And then she'd run away, and she wouldn't be safe. She could be eaten by cannibals or starve! I can't tell her or she'll die. She might anyway, who knows why he wants her. But she needs to be safe at least until I have Betty back. I'm not even sure I can do that though, I'm losing myself and I need to know that she's alive and happy before I resort to using the crown forever._

Simon's eyes were full of tears. He dropped Marceline's hand and wiped his face.

Marceline stopped walking and looked up at him. "Simon, why are you crying? Did you get hurt?"

Simon turned around and bent down so he was at Marceline's level. He looked into the gray girl's gray eyes. "No, Marcy, I'm crying because I'm sad." He instantly knew this was a bad answer, she would want to know why, but wasn't ready to tell her.

"Why are you sad?" Marceline looked at him with pure concern.

"I'm sad because I miss Betty… And I want you to know that whatever happens I still lo- care -about you." Simon wasn't telling Marceline the whole truth, but he had no choice. _She cares about me and I'm lying to her. I am a despicable person. But I need to be for Betty. I need to see her again._

Marceline nodded her head . As far as she was concerned, she had no reason not to trust Simon. He had saved her countless times and fed her every day. She thought of him like a father. He was one of the only people to ever take care of her. She loved him.

Simon and Marcy kept walking. It was completely dark now. The night was clear enough to see a few more stars than usual. Marceline was looking out over the city again, humming softly to herself and thinking _Hambo should learn to dance. Then we could make Simon happy while I sing and Hambo dances, then he won't be sad. And then we could all do music for Betty when we find her!_

Simon looked straight ahead. He knew what he had to do. And he knew how he had to do it. It was just the way it has to be.

**Alright, well… Stay tuned… I guess…**

**Bye bye!**


End file.
